On Thursday, May 3, 2018 a press conference was held at the Los Angeles Sentinel Newspaper announcing the support of former Los Angeles Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa for Governor. Villaraigosa was surrounded by faith and community leaders, and local prominent political leaders from the City of Carson, Inglewood, and Compton.
“Over the 25 years I have been in public office, I received a lot of endorsements. Some of them I knew very well, some of them not so well but they took a chance on me. But what I am so proud of today, is the fact that these are the people that I have worked with, not for one or two or three years. Some of them are not here today,” said Villaraigosa.
“Many of the people here I have worked with for three and four decades. Not just when I was in office but in 1980 when Mark Ridley-Thomas, we started the Latino-Black round-table.
Villaraigosa goes on to say that without ongoing support from the city and local leaders, he would not have been mayor.
“My entire life, I have understood to whom much is given, much is expected. I have always acknowledged, whether I am in the African American community, at the Democratic Convention, in mostly Angelo communities,” he said.
“I’m here today because there was a Civil Rights Act. I’m here today because there was a Voting Rights Act. I’m here today because people fought for my right to be able to run, and I know that and this community opened up a door for me. I never would have been Mayor of Los Angeles.”
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